Aba Huraira told of hearing God’s messenger say:

“Nigella seed is a remedy for every disease but <i>sam</i>.” Ibn Shihab said sant is death and the nigella seed is <i>shuniz</i>.* (Bukhari and Muslim.) * <i>Taj al-’arus </i>says this is a Persian word which came to be used by Arabs. It indicates a seed of a species of nigella.

وَعَن أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «فِي الْحَبَّةِ السَّوْدَاءِ شِفَاءٌ مِنْ كُلِّ دَاءٍ إِلَّا السَّامَ» . قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ: السَّامُ: الْمَوْتُ وَالْحَبَّةُ السَّوْدَاءُ: الشُّونِيزُ